Zucchini-Apple-Walnut Streusel Muffins

There are four things that inspired me to bake these muffins this morning:

1. It felt like Fall (so much so that I treated myself to my very first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season).
2. After graduating last June, this is my first Fall not going back to school.
3. Adam comes home from Florida today! He has only been there a few days, but I like him. 
4. Zucchini were taking over the garden. They are beasts.

The title is a mouthful (just like my mouth is full of these delicious muffins as I type this), but I thought that all of these key ingredients deserved their fair share of love.

* I slightly altered my recipe from: http://www.food.com/recipe/zucchini-nut-muffins-68082 (muffin) and http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/pumpkin-cinnamon-streusel-muffins/ (streusel).

Interested? Here's what you will need:

3 eggs, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup applesauce, 1 2/3 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 cups grated zucchini, 3 cups flour, 1 t. baking soda, 1/4 t. baking powder, 3 t. cinnamon, 1/4 t. nutmeg, 1 t. salt, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional), and 1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional).

First, beat the eggs. Then add the oil, applesauce, zucchini, and both sugars. Don't be terrified by this mixture like I was... It turns out wonderfully. Promise.

Now combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

If you have a sifter - sift all of the dry ingredients together. If you're like me and don't - think light, fluffy, sifted thoughts and use a fork. I'm not complaining with the finished product!

After mixing all the wet and dry ingredients together, add the chopped walnuts to the mixture.

This step is optional (maybe for you, but it was totally necessary for me) - I divided the batter evenly between two bowls and added some chocolate chips to one of the bowls. Why do you ask? Because chocolate is awesome... Duh.

Divide the mixture evenly in greased muffin tins - This recipe makes 24 full-sized muffins.

Finally, mix up your streusel! I improvised and used two packs of cinnamon & spice instant oatmeal we had laying around, then added 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 t. cinnamon, dash of nutmeg, 1 T. flour, and 6 T. cold butter (chopped into pieces). 

Sprinkle the crumbly streusel evenly over all of the muffins, then pop those puppies in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (I use an unbent paper clip).

Enjoy!